Degrees And Minutes

Degrees and Minutes. Astrology measures position in degrees and minutes, the units that pinpoint exactly where a planet or point sits. The zodiac is a circle of three hundred and sixty degrees, divided into twelve signs of thirty degrees each, so a planet is always somewhere between zero and twenty-nine degrees of its sign. Each degree is further divided into sixty minutes, marked with an apostrophe. A position such as fifteen degrees and thirty minutes of Leo places a planet precisely within its sign. This fine measurement matters because aspects depend on exact angles, and the closer two planets are to an exact degree, the stronger their connection. The same precision determines which house cusp a planet sits nearest. Degrees also carry meaning of their own. The early degrees of a sign feel fresh and pure in that sign's nature, while the late degrees feel mature, worn, or strained. Knowing how to read degrees and minutes is simply knowing the coordinate system of the chart, the grid on which every planet, point, and cusp is plotted.